Apparatus for providing picture-mats with square or rectangular holes



(No Model.)

' M. E. CHI-LDS. P

APPARATUS POR PROVIDING PICTURE; MATS WITH SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR HOLES.

No. 59,6;016. y Patented Mar; 19, 1895.

'rares MERRICK E. CHILDS, on wEsrLIBERTY, IOWA.'

APPARILITUS FOIi PROVIDING PICTURE-MATS WITH SQUARE R RECTANGULARHOLI-S.

4SPIE]CFIECACE'ION' forming part of Letters Patent N o. 536,016, datedMarch 19, 1895.

Application led April 28, 1894. Serial No. 509,311l (No model.) I

.To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, MERRICK E. CHILDS, of West Liberty, in the county ofMuscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines or Apparatus for Providing Mats forPicture-Frames with Square or Y(.,luadrangular Openings or l Holes; andI do hereby declare the following the same.

to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usethesame.

My invention relates to improvementsin machines or apparatus forproviding mats for pictureframes, with square or quadrangular openingsor holes; and the invention consists in certain features ofconstruction, and in combinations of parts, hereinafter described andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan of a machineembodying' my invention. "Fig". 2 is a front side elevationof Fig. 3 isa right hand side elevation relative to Figs.'1 and 2. Fig. 4 is asection on line 4-4, Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig.5 is an enlarged section in detail on line 5-5, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the knife or cutter.

My improved machine comprises a board or table, A, upon whichV themat-board Bte be cut is placed. A scale, C, for the purpose of measuringand squaring the mats to be cut, is marked upon the top surface of boardor table A along the edges of said board or table, and the front edge ofboard or table A is pref-V erably provided with a scale D to be usedwhen the scale on the top surface of the table is more or less covered.A mat-board B to be cut is ,shown in position upon board or table A withthe forward edge of the mat-board iush with the forward edge of thesupportingtable and with the left-hand edge of the matboard Iiush withthe left-hand edge of the table. The mat-board, if not already properlytrimmed, is secured upon the top surface of the supporting-board ortable in any approved manner, but preferably by means of one or moreclamps, preferably, a pair of clamps E and G adjustably secured toslides H that are arranged transversely of board or table A and areadapted to slide endwise of slideways a formed vin the supporting-table,

the mat-board.

the clamps being preferably adjustable forwardly and rearwardly, thatis, transversely of `table A, to accommodate diiferent sizes ofmat-boards, and being secured to the supporting-slides preferably bymeans of thumbnuts, I, and studs or bolts J engaged by said nuts andrigid with the slides, one or more washers K being preferably`interposed between the securing-nuts and upper surface of the clamps,and the holes J in the clamps through which studs orbolt-s J extend,being elongated in the direction to accommodate theaforesaidadjustmentof the clamps. After trimming the mat-boardexternally, as just described, the securing-clamps can be removed fromthe supporting-board or table, if desired.

When the mat-board has been trimmed ex-` ternally, the corners of' theopening or hole to be out in the mat-board are pricked or otherwisemarked upon the surface of the matboard by means of a compass or anytool suitable for the purpose. A straight-edge or rule, L, whose uppersurface at one end, (in the present instance the left-hand end) isbeveled downwardly and outwardly or wedgeshaped, as at Z, is then placedor laid upon the mat-board with its beveled, or wedge shaped endengaging the lower edgem of the clamping-member of a sliding-clamp M atthe left-hand end of board or table A. The engaging edge fm of saidclamp is preferably quite sharp (see Fig. 5) in order to bite, andthereby retain the straight-edge or rule in place, and the slidingcapability of the clamp accommodates the adjustment of the straightyedge or rule relative to the cut to be made in The straight-edge or ruleis, of course, adj usted endwise to wedge the same,

as required in under clamp M, said adjustment varying according to thethickness of IOO a sliding-clamp O and a clamping-stick P, (see Figs. land 3) the latterbeing adapted to engage the upper surface of thestraight-edge or rule, and clamp O being arranged lengthwise ofsupporting-board or tableA and rigid with a slide O arranged in the samedirection and adapted to operate in a slideway A2 formedin and alsoarranged lengthwise of the supporting-board or table. Y

Clamping-stick P engages the under side of the clam pin g-member ofclamp O. The upper surface of said stick is beveled downwardly andrearwardly, or wedge-shaped, as at P', so that by wedging the stick inunder clamp O, the straight-edge or rule is caused to be securely heldupon the supporting-board or table. The sliding capability of clamp Oaccommodates the adjustment of the clampingstick relative to theadjacent edge of the mat being cut. n

A rest, R, for the purpose of steadying the straight-edge or rule incutting mats of extra large size, is preferably provided, the rest shownbeing adjustable transversely of the supporting-table and being rigidwith a slide R adapted to operate endwise of a slideway, A3, formed inand arranged transversely of board or table A said slide capable ofbeing secured in the desired adjustment by means of a thumb-screw R2,the rest being adapted to engage the front edge of the straight-edge orrule. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

The straight-edge yor rule, at its rear edge, is beveled downwardly andrearwardly, as at L', and the operating-knife S employed in cutting themat is held with its side engaging the beveled edge of the straight-edgeor rule so that when the hole 'or opening in the inatboard is out, abeveled edge is formed around the hole or opening. The knife employed ispreferably of the construction shown in Fig. 6, wherein it is beveledand sharpened at the lower or cutting side and free end to permit it tobe pressed firmly into the corner of the opening or hole to be cut inthe mat, so that a smooth clear cut is obtained, the knife in thecutting operation of course being held with its unbeveled side inengagement with the beveled edge of the straight-edge or rule. In usingthe knife it should be firmly held against the beveled edge of thestraight-edge or rule by pressing the first and second tingers of theleft-hand (referring to a right handed operator) on the blade of theknife with the thumb of the same hand resting upon the straight-edge orrule and when the knife has been placed in position for cutting itshould be carefully drawn along the bevel of the straight -edge or rulebetween the marks indicating thecorners of the opening or hole to be cutin the mat. The cutting of heavy mat-boards will require several cutsand close hard pressing into the corners to free the detached centralportions of the matboard.

What l claim is 1. In apparatus for cutting picturemats with square orrectangular holes, the combination of a board or table A, astraight-edge or rule L beveled or wedge-shaped at one end as at l, aclamp for engaging and holding said wedge-shaped end in position, aclampingstick P adapted to engage the straight-edge or rule on top, anda clamp O for securing said clamping-stick in place, and the stick beingbeveled or wedge-shaped at the end engaged by the clamp, all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In apparatus for cutting picture-mats with square or rectangularholes, the combination of a board or table A, a straight-edge or ruleLbeveled, as at L', along its rear edge, and beveled or wedge-shaped atone end, a clamp for engaging and holding said wedgeshaped end of thestraight-edge or rule in place and adjustable transversely of thesupporting-board or table, the clamping-stick P beveled or wedge-shapedat one end and lche clamp O adjustable lengthwise of the board or tableand all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus for cutting picture-mats with square or rectangularholes, the combination of a board or table A, a straight-edge or rule L,suitable clamping-devices for holding the mat and straight-edge inplace, and the rest R for engaging the front edge of the straight-edgeor rule and adjustable transversely of the board or table, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 14th day of February, 1894.

MERRICK E. CHILDS.

Witnesses:

C. II. Donna, ELLA E. TILDEN.

IOO

